243 trafficking cases reported from Chhattisgarh: Minister

As many as many as 243 cases of human trafficking were reported from the state since 2010, including 17 cases of selling girls and women through New Delhi-based placement firm agencies, Chhattisgarh Home Minister Ramsewak Paikra informed the Assembly here on Wednesday.

Raipur: As many as many as 243 cases of human trafficking were reported from the state since 2010, including 17 cases of selling girls and women through New Delhi-based placement firm agencies, Chhattisgarh Home Minister Ramsewak Paikra informed the Assembly here on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question raised by Leader of Opposition in the Chhatisgarh Assembly TS Singhdeo, Paikra said, "243 cases of human trafficking were recorded between 2010 and June 30 this year in which selling of girls and women were detected in 17 cases. A total of 322 women were rescued in these cases".

Likewise, seven human trafficking cases were recorded in Narayanpur, while six cases each were recorded in Rajnandgaon and Janjgir-Champa and four cases each were in Raipur, Durg, Dantewada and Kondagaon, he said.

The Supreme?Court?had issued directives to the Chhattisgarh government and other states to take immediate action to rescue missing children in response to a writ petition.

There were several cases where minor girls from northern parts of the state were lured to cities to employ them as domestic helps, he said.

Investigations revealed that agents of placement agencies based in New Delhi had played a key role in sending these women to Delhi and nearby places, the minister said.

In connection with trafficking cases, challans were issued against directors of 15 placement agencies in 23 cases and 35 local agents in 25 cases at local courts in the past three years.

The minister also informed about various steps being taken to check human trafficking in the state, like setting up of anti-human trafficking units in vulnerable districts and conducting special operations to rescue trafficked children.

On the recommendation of the Chhattisgarh government and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), anti-human trafficking units were formed in districts sharing borders from where people migrate to other places in search of better employment opportunities.